diff --git a/cogl/cogl-context-private.h b/cogl/cogl-context-private.h
index b4adebd6b..4ce999b30 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-context-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-context-private.h
@@ -203,6 +203,8 @@ struct _CoglContext
   CoglPipelineProgramType current_vertex_program_type;
   GLuint                  current_gl_program;
 
+  gboolean current_gl_dither_enabled;
+
   /* List of types that will be considered a subclass of CoglTexture in
      cogl_is_texture */
   GSList           *texture_types;
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-context.c b/cogl/cogl-context.c
index 4ab37e25b..2674b235d 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-context.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-context.c
@@ -276,6 +276,8 @@ cogl_context_new (CoglDisplay *display,
   context->current_vertex_program_type = COGL_PIPELINE_PROGRAM_TYPE_FIXED;
   context->current_gl_program = 0;
 
+  context->current_gl_dither_enabled = TRUE;
+
   context->gl_blend_enable_cache = FALSE;
 
   context->depth_test_enabled_cache = FALSE;
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-framebuffer-private.h b/cogl/cogl-framebuffer-private.h
index 509dc19b0..1b0ee444f 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-framebuffer-private.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-framebuffer-private.h
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ struct _CoglFramebuffer
   int                 green_bits;
   int                 alpha_bits;
 
+  gboolean            dither_enabled;
+
   /* We journal the textured rectangles we want to submit to OpenGL so
    * we have an oppertunity to batch them together into less draw
    * calls. */
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.c b/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.c
index 0d7188324..af8cc9a26 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.c
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ _cogl_framebuffer_init (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer,
   framebuffer->viewport_y       = 0;
   framebuffer->viewport_width   = width;
   framebuffer->viewport_height  = height;
+  framebuffer->dither_enabled   = TRUE;
 
   framebuffer->modelview_stack  = _cogl_matrix_stack_new ();
   framebuffer->projection_stack = _cogl_matrix_stack_new ();
@@ -1436,6 +1437,15 @@ _cogl_framebuffer_flush_state (CoglFramebuffer *draw_buffer,
   _cogl_framebuffer_init_bits (draw_buffer);
   _cogl_framebuffer_init_bits (read_buffer);
 
+  if (ctx->current_gl_dither_enabled != draw_buffer->dither_enabled)
+    {
+      if (draw_buffer->dither_enabled)
+        GE (ctx, glEnable (GL_DITHER));
+      else
+        GE (ctx, glDisable (GL_DITHER));
+      ctx->current_gl_dither_enabled = draw_buffer->dither_enabled;
+    }
+
   /* XXX: Flushing clip state may trash the modelview and projection
    * matrices so we must do it before flushing the matrices...
    */
@@ -1482,6 +1492,23 @@ cogl_framebuffer_get_alpha_bits (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer)
   return framebuffer->alpha_bits;
 }
 
+gboolean
+cogl_framebuffer_get_dither_enabled (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer)
+{
+  return framebuffer->dither_enabled;
+}
+
+void
+cogl_framebuffer_set_dither_enabled (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer,
+                                     gboolean dither_enabled)
+{
+  if (framebuffer->dither_enabled == dither_enabled)
+    return;
+
+  cogl_flush (); /* Currently dithering changes aren't tracked in the journal */
+  framebuffer->dither_enabled = dither_enabled;
+}
+
 gboolean
 _cogl_framebuffer_try_fast_read_pixel (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer,
                                        int x,
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.h b/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.h
index 77df43444..df8f8307c 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-framebuffer.h
@@ -185,6 +185,48 @@ cogl_framebuffer_get_blue_bits (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer);
 int
 cogl_framebuffer_get_alpha_bits (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer);
 
+/**
+ * cogl_framebuffer_get_dither_enabled:
+ * @framebuffer: a pointer to a #CoglFramebuffer
+ *
+ * Returns whether dithering has been requested for the given @framebuffer.
+ * See cogl_framebuffer_set_dither_enabled() for more details about dithering.
+ *
+ * <note>This may return %TRUE even when the underlying @framebuffer
+ * display pipeline does not support dithering. This value only represents
+ * the user's request for dithering.</note>
+ *
+ * Return value: %TRUE if dithering has been requested or %FALSE if not.
+ */
+gboolean
+cogl_framebuffer_get_dither_enabled (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer);
+
+/**
+ * cogl_framebuffer_set_dither_enabled:
+ * @framebuffer: a pointer to a #CoglFramebuffer
+ * @dither_enabled: %TRUE to enable dithering or %FALSE to disable
+ *
+ * Enables or disabled dithering if supported by the hardware.
+ *
+ * Dithering is a hardware dependent technique to increase the visible
+ * color resolution beyond what the underlying hardware supports by playing
+ * tricks with the colors placed into the framebuffer to give the illusion
+ * of other colors. (For example this can be compared to half-toning used
+ * by some news papers to show varying levels of grey even though their may
+ * only be black and white are available).
+ *
+ * If the current display pipeline for @framebuffer does not support dithering
+ * then this has no affect.
+ *
+ * Dithering is enabled by default.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.8
+ * Stability: unstable
+ */
+void
+cogl_framebuffer_set_dither_enabled (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer,
+                                     gboolean dither_enabled);
+
 #define cogl_framebuffer_swap_buffers cogl_framebuffer_swap_buffers_EXP
 void
 cogl_framebuffer_swap_buffers (CoglFramebuffer *framebuffer);